1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for generating a parts catalog.
2. Description of the Related Art
A parts catalog for displaying an image of a part on a screen by using three-dimensional model data is widely used. However, when three-dimensional model data of a part is not available, an image of that part cannot be displayed and corresponding position remains in blank on a screen. Meanwhile, it is difficult to express some parts in three-dimensional model data. For example, string-shaped or band-shaped parts such as cables and harnesses, and small parts such as screws are difficult to express some parts in three-dimensional model data. On the other hand, it is difficult to create three-dimensional model data of some parts. For example, it is difficult to create three-dimensional model data of stickers. Thus, if it is required to display an image of such a part in a three dimensional image, costs of a parts catalog increases.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H06-176085 discloses a conventional technology for generating a part list of parts of a product. Assume now that a product that is an assembly of a plurality of parts is to be produced in a manufacturing company. Then, the designing section generates a part image of each of the parts of the product, and generates a part list of the parts based on the generated part images. The part images and the part list are then sent from the designing section to the production section. Specifically, generating the part list is performed in a design terminal, a management terminal, and a registration terminal. In the design terminal, an image of a part is generated and stored in an image file, property data of a part is stored in a property data file, and data of a part for retrieval is sent from the design terminal to the management terminal. In the management terminal, a new image number is assigned to a generated image, and the assigned image number is sent from the management terminal to the design terminal. In the registration terminal, when a request for registration is received from the design terminal, the image having the image number is generated as an image data, and the image number and the data of a part for retrieval are registered as character data. The property data is contained in a database together with part data and part configuration data. The part list is generated based on the part data and the part configuration data, so that the part list includes a part name of each of parts of a product and a specification of the parts.
Although the Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H06-176085 discloses a system for extracting data on parts from three-dimensional model data and managing the data, a technology for generating a parts catalog of a part is not disclosed. Furthermore, it is difficult to display a part when three-dimensional model data of the part is not available.